Lilly and Leading Alzheimer's Disease Experts Call for Urgent Action to Close Diagnostic Gaps at Alzheimer Europe Conference

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ELI LILLY & COMPANY

07 Oct, 2025, 11:00 GMT

  • Real-world evidence from clinicians offers new insights into societal and systemic barriers to diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) across Europe[1]
  • Survey shows that while over 70% of specialists agree on the importance of biomarker testing for AD, fewer than one in five patients receive these tests[1]
  • Experts at Alzheimer Europe conference call for urgent health system investment to improve diagnostic access, including broader use of biomarker testing 

BRUSSELS, Oct. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Eli Lilly and Company, in partnership with leading Alzheimer's disease (AD) experts at this year's Alzheimer Europe Conference, have called for urgent improvements to diagnostic pathways to ensure people in Europe can benefit from new therapeutic innovation.

Based on the findings drawn from the Adelphi Real World Dementia Disease Specific Programme™ (Adelphi DSP) - a multinational and cross-sectional survey of clinicians treating patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Japan, and the United States - experts warn that AD and dementia remain critically underdiagnosed, denying patients the opportunity to access treatment and care options.[1]  A study published in The Lancet further highlights that while new therapies in AD are emerging with levels of clinical meaningfulness, efficacy, and safety comparable to treatments for cancer, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis, further consideration must be given to care models and funding to improve equitable access for people with AD to innovative therapeutic options. This reflects a broader disparity in how innovation is made available across diseases within the context of modern personalized medicine.[2]  

"We find ourselves at a critical moment, where the decisions made now will shape the future of AD care in Europe," reflected Professor Lutz Frölich, Head of the Department of Geriatric Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health and Full Professor, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Germany.  "Science has equipped us with the solutions to manage AD more effectively in its early stages, potentially reducing the disease burden. But this will only be possible if we can streamline diagnosis and make access to care timely and equitable for everyone affected by this progressive disease." 

Alzheimer's disease currently affects approximately 6.9 million people in Europe, with this figure expected to almost double by 2050 as aging populations continue to increase.[3-4] 

Key Barriers to Timely Diagnosis Identified from the Adelphi DSP Survey

  • Limited Access to Biomarker Testing

Biomarker tests, which detect abnormal changes in the brain, play a vital role in enabling rapid and accurate AD diagnosis in its earliest stages.[5] Despite over 70% of clinicians rating these biomarker tests important or extremely important, they remain underutilized in practice.[1] Across the countries studied, fewer than one in five patients (15.2%) received biomarker testing to confirm the specific pathology.[1] At a country level, Germany and the UK were the least likely to receive these tests.[1]

  • Delayed Specialist Referrals

When patients are referred from primary care physicians (PCPs) to specialists, the median reported time to diagnosis doubles to five months.[1] Notably, Spain and France reported the longest referral times, where patients waited a median of six to seven months to be diagnosed with AD.[1] The shorter reported time to diagnosis when patients were initially consulted and diagnosed by a PCP, demonstrates the importance of PCPs for both detection, assessment, and management of patients with MCI and AD dementia.

  • Stigma and Lack of Awareness Prevent Early Help-Seeking 

61% of specialists surveyed cited that the biggest barrier to identifying patients in the early stages of AD is that they delay seeking help due to the stigma of their condition. Further to this, 43% of specialists said that patients delayed seeking help as they did not understand the differences between normal ageing and cognitive impairment caused by AD. The most common symptoms prompting a consultation for diagnosis are loss of short-term memory, difficulties in concentration/attention, and difficulty recalling names/words, and although these are mainly first recognized by a family member, stigma, and lack of awareness contribute to delays in patients seeking help. [1]

"These findings paint a deeply concerning picture of AD diagnosis across Europe and are sadly reflective of the experiences of many patients and families we support, who are often left too long without answers," said Jean Georges, Executive Director, Alzheimer Europe. "A carers' survey conducted in 2018 by our organization in the Czech Republic, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UK, found that the time to diagnosis from first symptoms took on average 2.1 years and 53% of carers felt that the diagnosis was made too late.  If we want to ensure that people receive a timely diagnosis and support when it matters most, we need to implement the lessons from this research urgently and recognize AD as a policy priority, raise public awareness and combat stigma, increase medical training and the number of needed specialists, and improve access to innovative testing."

"Emerging therapies that target the pathology of Alzheimer's disease offer hope to slow progression and delay the need for care services. But this possibility hinges on early detection, as approximately one-third of individuals in early symptomatic stages of the disease will progress to more advanced clinical stages within one year,"5 adds Dr. Stéphane Epelbaum, Associate Vice President, International Medical Affairs at Eli Lilly. "Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential to ensure patients can access the next generation of Alzheimer's disease care."

At Lilly, we have been pioneering Alzheimer's disease research for over 35 years and continue to reimagine what's possible. We are committed to collaborating with partners to build the infrastructure needed to transform and strengthen pathways, empowering people to live better lives, on their own terms.

References

[1] Vasileva-Metodiev SZ, Spargo D, Klein EG, et al. Diagnostic journey and management of patients with mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease dementia: A multinational, real-world survey.  Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. 2025;104(4):1212–1234. doi:10.1177/13872877251322978

[2] Frisoni GB, Aho E, Brayne C, et al. Alzheimer's disease outlook: controversies and future directions.  The Lancet. 2025;406(10510):1424–1442. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(25)01389-3

[3] Gustavsson A, Norton N, Fast T, et al. Global estimates on the number of persons across the Alzheimer's disease continuum.  Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2023;19:658–670. doi:10.1002/alz.12694

[4] Alzheimer Europe. Prevalence of dementia in Europe. Available at: https://www.alzheimer-europe.org/dementia/prevalence-dementia-europe. Accessed 6 October 2025.

[5] Potashman M, Buessing M, Levitchi Benea M, et al. Estimating progression rates across the spectrum of Alzheimer's disease for amyloid-positive individuals using national Alzheimer's coordinating center data. Neurol Ther. 2021;10(2):941-953. doi:10.1007/s40120-021-00272-1   

About Lilly
Lilly is a medicine company turning science into healing to make life better for people around the world. We've been pioneering life-changing discoveries for nearly 150 years, and today our medicines help tens of millions of people across the globe. Harnessing the power of biotechnology, chemistry and genetic medicine, our scientists are urgently advancing new discoveries to solve some of the world's most significant health challenges: redefining diabetes care; treating obesity and curtailing its most devastating long-term effects; advancing the fight against Alzheimer's disease; providing solutions to some of the most debilitating immune system disorders; and transforming the most difficult-to-treat cancers into manageable diseases. With each step toward a healthier world, we're motivated by one thing: making life better for millions more people. That includes delivering innovative clinical trials that reflect the diversity of our world and working to ensure our medicines are accessible and affordable. To learn more, visit Lilly.com and Lilly.com/news, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

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